Storm water money could fix washout downhill from Bliss

Long term solution for road itself still pending

A new proposal would allow the city of La Crosse to use money meant for storm water projects to fix some washout damage downhill from Bliss Road in Hixon Forest.  

The latest washout damage has not only impacted hiking trails in Hixon Forest but threatened the city-owned Forest Hills Golf Course. 

Massive repairs may also be needed for Bliss Road. La Crosse Mayor Tim Kabat questions how many more of those the city can stomach.

“If you, all of the sudden, then have to say, ‘Well gees, there’s a half million dollars now that we have to stop everything and shore up this road again,’ 

“I don’t know how many times in the course of a few year period you can keep doing that realistically.”

In the coming weeks, the council considers using nearly $100,000 in money originally meant for various storm water projects to fix the damage from erosion downhill from Bliss Road – including a hiking trail.  

As for the road itself? Kabat says the city is still working on a solution. Quick fixes seem to be out of the question.

“I don’t know how sustainable it is to be able to spend upwards of, whether it’s $500 or many thousands of dollars, every few years to just make the road not fall off the side of the bluff,” Kabat said. “First, we just really need to understand, and have to make sure it’s safe, so there’s not going to be a washout which causes that roadway to be impacted. “That’s sort of step No. 1 and then we go from there.”

Kabat says he’s open to all possibilities for the future of Bliss, including shutting it to vehicle traffic permanently.

The city is working with an engineering firm to help determine long term needs for the troubled road.